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Review 3. Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

Tuesday, 9 June 2015

"This is a laugh-out-loud romance from the bestselling author of the
Shopaholic series. Meet Audrey: an ordinary teenage girl with not so
ordinary problems. Aside from her completely crazy and chaotic family,
she suffers from an anxiety disorder which makes talking to her
brother's hot new best friend a bit of a challenge. But Audrey has a
plan to help her face her fears and take on the world again. First stop:
Starbucks."

Review:

Dear
Sophie Kinsella, you did it again. Your novels are simply amazing. Only
you could write a story about such a serious matter and yet fill it
with funny and sweet moments. Not all stories about social anxiety and
depression need to be filled with only dark moments.

Audrey's
journey was so truthful, so real. Many people can relate with her
journey. I'm in my twenties and I could relate with Audrey. I mean, I
know how social anxiety can be a huge barrier - I understand how it's to
have a lizard brain. It makes you feel a freak. I'm afraid of going to
certain places or facing certain people. And when I'm pushed to do it,
my heart starts beating very fast and I feel like running away.

I
loved how Audrey's family always stood by her side. It was kind of a
dysfunction family, but the good kind of dysfunctional family. It's the
kind of dysfunctional family that you'd like to be part of. It was clear
they loved each other very much - even with all the overreacting and
screaming. Anne, Audrey's mother, is the kind of mother every teenager
would find a nightmare. I mean, I loved how she was always so concerned
about her kids but she overreacted too much... Daily Mail doesn't give
trustworthy information! Oh, and must love Frank and his sly remarks. He
was too damn funny. As Audrey said, he should really be a lawyer. Who
uses Harry Potter to explain that "bloody" isn't a bad word?

Also,
Linus was such a cutie. The way he started building a relationship with
Audrey was too damn adorable (excuse y language)! I liked how he helped Audrey to deal
with some of her fears by challenging her to talk with strangers.

But,
even though I loved the story, I confess I had a slightly issue with
something: no matter how dysfunctional Audrey's family was, I don't
think her parents would so easily accept that their 14 year-old daughter
had a boyfriend. Perhaps I'm old-fashioned. But I think if Audrey was a
year or two older, I wouldn't have even thought about it. Yep, I'm
old-fashioned.

Sophie Kinsella's writing is always captivating.
She is the only author who can make me laugh. I enjoy how she always
makes cultural references (TV shows, books, places...). It makes her
novels seem so much more real. I simply love everything she writes.

I
recommend Finding Audrey not only to YAs, but also to everyone who
suffers/suffered from social anxiety; to everyone who deals with someone
who suffers/suffered from social anxiety.

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.